Fabulous pictorial map of the Moon published by American wealth and investment management company Merrill Lynch to celebrate the Apollo 11 (July 1969) and Apollo 12 (November 1969) Moon landings



Astronaut Neil Armstrong's iconic line "One Small Step for [a] Man, A Giant Leap for Mankind" is emblazoned across the top of the map, a banner held in place by an triumphant eagle ridden by Presidents Richard Nixon, Lyndon B. Johnson, and John F. Kennedy whose administrations encouraged space exploration.



Artistic renderings of the near and far side of the moon ("Luna Incognita") shown in traditional double-hemisphere layout and surrounded by a timeline of powered flight and nursery rhymes (a cow jumps over the moon in the top right hand corner).


In keeping with the traditional map theme, a nod to the early astronomers can be seen in the lower right hand corner; one hand on the globe and fixing his telescope on the night sky under the watchful, disapproving eye of religious figures.



Designed as a promotional item issued for Merrill Lynch investment bank perhaps to distrubte to its customers. Drawn by Michael Ramus (1971 - 2005) an American illustrator, collagist, sculptor and an accomplished amateur geologist and paleontologist. After serving in the army during World War II, Ramus went from working as a comic book artist to illustrating publications such as Life, Sports Illustrated, Smithsonian, Reader's Digest and even Playboy Magazine.


Printed colour. Backed on archival linen. Framed. [CELEST1151]